


Wrong

by roisu



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Asexual Character, M/M, Romantic Fluff, ace!carlos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 05:18:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1928067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roisu/pseuds/roisu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos always knew there was something wrong about him. How will Cecil ever accept him once he knows the truth?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wrong

Things in Night Vale seemed so _wrong_ to an outsider in Night Vale. The lights above Arby's, the Angels (if such a thing as angels even exists, that is), the Faceless Old Woman, all of it. Carlos, when he was all alone, would admit he was terrified of Night Vale (he dared not admit it to anyone else, for one of the first things a Scientist is, is brave). But everything in Night Vale--especially the radio host--was so very _wrong_ and soul-crushingly terrifying.

Carlos was _wrong_ , too. Everyone told him so, everyone who knew at least. But it was a different _wrong_ than Night Vale. Different. And worse.

And, yet... As he spent more time in the town, he warmed up to it. Despite being so... Night Vale-y (and depsite the whole Hair thing), the residents were _normal_ people (yes, even Hiram McDaniels seemed normal once you got past the entire Dragon thing).

He found himself thinking less about the scientifically interesting news, and more about the fascinating man delivering it.

Maybe Cecil wouldn't think _he_ was _wrong_...

_“I'm calling for personal reasons.”_

The bravest words he ever spoke.

(But it was still months before he could work up the nerve to say the words he truly wanted.)

Their relationship progressed blissfully slow. On days when he did not have too much Science to do, Carlos found himself dragged off to all the best date spots in Night Vale--and to Big Rico's quite a few times. He loved the way Cecil would fight him over the last slice of pizza. Cecil always won (one day, Carlos intended to study his abnormally fast reflexes), but then they would share the last slice, Cecil taking a small bite for himself before holding the pizza up to Carlos' mouth.

Before Night Vale, he'd never found eating pizza to be so sensual.

And Cecil was a perfect gentleman. He would drive Carlos home, listening to him explain his most recent Science (and pretending to understand it), walk him to his door, and offer him a parting kiss.

Carlos never felt pressured for anything more, but was still afraid of the day Cecil would ask.

Some days, after a particularly long day of Sciencing, Carlos would go to Cecil's house. Just one look, and his boyfriend knew it was going to be an easy night. Cecil usually set a pot of water boiling and gathered up all the blankets to make Carlos a fort on the couch. Eventually, they would find themselves snuggled together with cups of tea watching a B movie. Carlos always fell asleep before the climax, but Cecil had no problems explaining the ending to him later.

When Carlos would awake the following morning, he would be rearranged more comfortably on the couch, with Cecil sprawled awkwardly on a nearby chair. Cecil never stayed on the couch with him when Carlos was not conscious to give his consent, and he never suggested they switch their movie watching to the TV in the bedroom.

Despite all the turmoil going on with the army under the bowling alley, and whatever was up with Station Management, and _everything_ , Carlos felt like his life was perfect.

But he knew “perfect” was just another way of saying “about to be messed up.”

Carlos turned on the radio, hoping it would be some citywide panic to ruin his peace, instead of the words he was planning on saying to Cecil that night. The weather was playing, some jaunty tune that he was pretty sure meant there would be brisk wind in the evening. Or maybe it was going to rain blood again? Even after over a year, he still felt like an outsider in this town. He could barely parse the weather, and he didn't know any runes or even speak Modified Sumerian.

When Carlos began listening to the broadcast again, Cecil was talking. About him. Again.

_“_ _And, dear listeners, Carlos, perfect, beautiful Carlos, spent the night again. His hair is even more perfect when rumpled with sleep. Whatever did our small town do to deserve such a_ _wondrous_ _man? Ahhh, I could spend hours describing the perfection of each and every_ _follicle._ _.. But I won't. Because Station Mana... Ahem, back to this morning's dispute over the proper firearms for Night Vale's Jr. High--”_

Carlos pressed the power button on his radio harder than necessary. Why did Cecil have to go around, practically telling to entire town that they sleep together? Was that his way of passive aggressively saying that they should? That he wanted to? It seemed out of character for him to be so devious (except where Steve Carlsburg was concerned). But then again, it seemed out of character for any man not to want sex. Carlos slumped on his desk, idly playing with an empty beaker.

When the mostly steady ticking of the clock grew too much on his nerves, he pushed up from his desk and peaked into the main lab to tell the others he was leaving early. They mumbled something about houses and mountains.

As he sat at a red light, he texted Cecil, _“Come by after work. I'm making a casserole.”_

For all he knew, it would be his last meal with Cecil, but he knew his brain couldn't handle cooking anything nicer. There were six minutes left on the timer when Cecil knocked. He had a key, but he never used it if Carlos were around to let him in. Carlos opened the front door, holding his arms out for the inevitable hug. Cecil predictably threw himself at his boyfriend and buried his nose in his perfect hair, inhaling deeply, “Mmmmm, you smell like ground beef.”

Carlos tightened his hold, even though he would usually let go at this point. Who knew if he would ever get a hug from someone as wonderful as Cecil again? “And you smell like perfection.”

Cecil squirmed in the extended embrace but made no moves to leave, “No, you're perfect... Is everything okay, babe?... Carlos?”

Carlos dropped his arms and took a step back, “Dinner's almost ready.”

Cecil's eyebrows knitted in confusion, “What's wrong? Is this a Science thing? I can help! I'll tell all my listeners...” He took a step forward, reaching his hand toward Carlos, “It's not a Science thing, is it?”

Carlos dropped to the couch. It wasn't as soft as Cecil's, but he supposed he'd better get used to this one instead, “I wanted to wait until after we ate... One last meal with you...”

Cecil rushed to sit next to him on the couch, taking both of Carlos' hand in his, “You're not leaving, are you? You don't have to go Science at Desert Bluffs, right? Oh, oh God, did you catch the Poison Pox that was going around the Blood Pact Scouts? You didn't look at the Dog Park, did you?”

His concern brought a tear to Carlos' eye. Many tears. To both of his eyes. He was crying. Sobbing, “N-no, Cecil, it's no... thing like tha-at.”

He let Cecil hold him, resting his head on Cecil's chest, until the tears slowed.

“There's something _wrong_ with me, Cecil. You're going to hate me, and we're going to break up, and everything is going to be terrible,” he squirmed away from where Cecil was trying to touch him, “I'm sorry I led you on for so long. You're just so perfect, Ce-Cecil.”

“No, _you're_ perfect,” Cecil replied automatically.

“I'm not. I'm _wrong_!”

“Oh, Carlos, beautiful, beautiful Carlos. Nothing about you could ever-”

“I'm...” he shook his head.

Cecil kept his mouth shut and kept his distance. He tried to look nonthreatening and approachable. He tried to say “You can tell me” without saying anything. Carlos opened his mouth to speak a few times but said nothing.

Finally, “I'm asexual. I don't... I don't _do_ sex.”

“That's okay,” Carlos had to double take, “Do you mean like a monk or like a flower?”

“N-neith... A monk, I guess.”

“Okay, so you're asexual. How about we talk about this after dinner isn't burning, yeah?”

Cecil bounced off to the kitchen to take the casserole out of the stove, leaving Carlos standing dumbstruck in the living room, head reeling. He still hadn't moved when Cecil brought in two plates, handing him one.

“Y-you're supposed to get mad and leave and find someone who can give you what you want.”

“I want _you_ , silly. No one else can give me that. Well, I guess unless the Doubles come back.”

“But there's something _wrong_ with me.”

“Stop saying that! Just- just stop!” Cecil took a few breaths to calm down, “Carlos, love, you are perfect. And I'm not just saying that- Well, I'm always saying that, but you know... You're perfect. I love everything about you. I love playing with your hair and talking about your Science. I love it when you fall asleep on my shoulder or eat the last slice of pizza. I love holding your hand and staring in your eyes. Those are all _Carlos_ things. And I love Carlos things. So what if sex isn't a Carlos thing? I don't want if it isn't--”

“But what--”

“I _don't_. Carlos, I _only_ want what you want to give me. I want _all_ of you, yes, but nothing more.”

The tears were back, streaming down Carlos' face.

“Is it okay if I hug you?”

Carlos nodded desperately, and Cecil was suddenly by his side, holding him in strong arms, rocking them gently, whispering calming noises in his ear. Once Carlos calmed down again, Cecil took him by the hand and sat him on the couch, “I think you need some food, Carlos, babe.”

Carlos ate slowly, stopped regularly to smile at Cecil.

“You really aren't leaving?”

“Not in a million years. Not in a billion years! Not in... whatever's bigger than a billion. I bet a Scientist would know...”

“And I won't leave you in a trillion years, Cecil.”

After they finished their food, Cecil smiled shyly at his boyfriend, “You know you have the most perfect behind, right? I never need to... _you know_... to know that it's perfect. I never need to, to know that _you're_ perfect. Just be mine, that's all I need. All I'll ever need.”


End file.
